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Reproductive Wastage And The Sheep Shortage In Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WESTERN AUSTRALIA has an acute shortage of sheep.

It is estimated that about seven million extra sheep are needed to stock existing pastures fully; meanwhile the carrying capacity of the State's pastures is increasing at the rate of three million sheep a year.

Alive-Stiff-Dead [Tetanus], F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Only 12 hours before this photograph was taken the lamb pictured was alive and healthy.

When examined it was very stiff and unable to stand. A few hours later it was dead.

Myxomatosis : Its Decline As A Killer, C D. Gooding

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ALTHOUGH nearly every farmer in Western Australia is familiar with myxomatosis, very few landowners really understand the factor causing the disease to spread or, just as importantly, why the severity of the disease is declining.

Hypocalcaemia In Sheep, J Craig

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Hypocalcaemia can cause trouble among in-lamb and lactating ewes, especially if they are grazing lush pasture or young cereal crops.

Dry sheep can also be affected. The disease can be confused with pregnancy toxaemia.

. . . A timely reminder issued by Senior Veterinary Surgeon J. Craig.

Did This Cause This? [Sarcoptic Mange Of Pigs], F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The mite on the left was detected by using a microscope with a magnification of 100 times to examine a skin scraping taken from the above pig.

This confirmed the suspicion that sarcoptic mange mites were the cause of the skin lesions.

Coccidiosis Of Calves, W A. Halhead

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Coccidiosis is one of the commonest causes of calf loss and debility on South-West dairy farms.

Treatment and control are simple once the nature of the disease is understood.

Salmonella Infection In Farm Animals, F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

FIFTY-EIGHT cases of salmonella infection were diagnosed in farm animals in Western Australia during 1965.

Losses, due to deaths, abortion and ill-thrift on properties where these cases occurred were often substantial and caused the owner financial hardship.

Many more outbreaks of salmonellosis undoubtedly occurred but were not brought to the notice of veterinarians.

Enterotoxaemia (Pulpy Kidney Disease), J Craig

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ENTEROTOXAEMIA, or pulpy kidney disease, is found in all areas of the world where sheep are raised and has occurred in Western Australia for many years, particularly in the great southern districts.

At one time it was known as "Beverley sheep disease."

The infectious nature of enterotoxaemia was first described by Bennets in 1932.

Animal Husbandry Research At Bramley, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A progress report of animal husbandry investigations at the Bramley Animal Husbandry Research Station, Margaret River.

BRAMLEY RESEARCH STATION is four miles north of Margaret River.

The average annual rainfall of 45 inches falls mainly in the winter, providing a seven-month growing season which starts in March or April.

The June-July period is excessively wet, causing extensive waterlogging of the soils.

A Potential Champ? [Distemper In Dogs], F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE mother of this pup was an eight-year-old sheep dog and in the eyes of her owner she was a champion and well worth her keep.

She was perhaps slowing down a little, so the best looking pup out of the last litter had been kept as a possible replacement.

A Sick Ewe Why? [Pregnancy Toxaemia], F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THIS dazed-looking ewe was seen wandering aimlessly around with an unsteady gait.

Three other ewes had died after a similar sickness lasting about four days.

Two more sheep in the flock of 350 ewes were also sick. One of them was down with its head on one side.

Down And Out [Pulpy Kidney Disease], F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Two days previously the weaner mob had broken through a gate into a hundred acre paddock in which an excellent green oat crop was growing.

The owner had not been particularly worried because the oats needed grazing. When however, he went to check the water troughs and found 17 weaners dead, he became perturbed.

Vibriosis In Sheep, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

OVINE VIBRIOSIS or vibrionic abortion, a serious disease of breeding ewes, has been known for almost 50 years and has been reported from most of the important sheep breeding areas of the world.

It is capable of causing serious economic loss.

Cow's Hoofs Need To Be Watched, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE need for thorough trimming of the hoofs of sheep for the control of foot rot is recognized, but few realize the need for trimming the hoofs of cattle.

A Sheep Management Calendar For Lambing On Green Feed, H E. Fels, J. A. C. Smith

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The calendar contained in this article has been drawn up by officers of the Wheat and Sheep Division as a guide to farmers who plan to adopt July-August lambing.

The article also summarises the advantages and complications of later lambing (as opposed to the conventional autumn lambing) and discusses farm management programmes to deal with the problems in various districts.

Sheep Breeding Problems In W.A. : The Industry's View, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN 1963 a short questionnaire was distributed to farmers and pastoralists seeking information about sheep breeding problems and lamb losses.

This was a fore-runner to the Department of Agriculture survey into the causes of abortion and lamb mortality which is reported elsewhere in this issue.

Time Of Lambing At Esperance, R J. Doyle

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ESPERANCE is one of the few places in Western Australia at which experiments over three years have shown a definite improvement in number of lambs produced to marking, as a result of lambing in the August-September period.

Have You A Lambing Problem?, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Here are the steps you should take if you have or suspect a breeding problem in your flocks.

Mastitis : Prevention And Control. 3. Implementing The Mastitis Control Programme, F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

FARMERS who have followed the first two articles in this series should by now have established the recommended milking routine and be familiar with it.

How To Care For Orphan Lambs, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WITH the current high price and shortage of sheep in W.A., farmers might consider the bother of artificially rearing orphan lambs more worthwhile than before.

Pullorum Tested Poultry Flocks, 1965, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

PULLORUM disease has been virtually eliminated from breeding and hatchery poultry flocks in Western Australia by the annual blood-testing of all birds and the destruction of reactors.

More Light On Lamb Losses : Third And Final Report Of A Survey Of Lamb Mortalities In W.A, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

DURING the past three years the Department of Agriculture's Animal Health Laboratory carried out an investigation into the causes of perinatal lamb losses.

This article records the results of this work.

Control Of Lice On Poultry, B R. Vale

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

DURING February and March of 1965 some particularly heavy body lice infestations were found on fowls in both deep litter and cage units in Western Australia.

In some instances comparatively new laying cage units were involved.

The most seriously affected flocks showed marked unthriftiness and depressed egg production.

Calfhood Diseases. 2. Respiratory And Nutritional Deficiency Diseases, M R. Gardiner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MOST of the common organisms found in the environment of calf sheds and yards may at times be responsible for respiratory infections, to which the young animal is very susceptible.

Congenital Abnormalities In Sheep In Western Australia, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN every flock of sheep an abnormal or deformed lamb is seen from time to time.

But in some flocks in some years the incidence of these abnormal lambs is higher than usual.

Urinary Calculus Disease Of Sheep In Western Australia, M R. Gardiner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE formation of concretions in the urinary tract of rams and wethers is one of the most persistent causes of loss of sheep in Western Australia, and has been so for many years.

Remarkable Success Of Bovine T.B. Eradication Campaign, J Shilkin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Less than 20 years ago Perth dairy herds had the highest T.B. incidence of any Australian capital city and half of the Kalgoorlie cattle had the disease.

Why this was so and how the eradication campaign has reduced the incidence of less than 0.3 per cent, in 128,000 cattle is discussed in this article.

Dead Lambs : A Dead Loss, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

During the past year the Animal Health Laboratory has continued its survey into the causes of abortion in sheep and perinatal lamb losses.

This article records the results of this work.

LAMBS and specimens from lambs were submitted to the Animal Health Laboratory from 229 properties situated in 121 areas in this survey during 1964.

Post-mortem examination was carried out on 1,422 lambs and specimens from 61 lambs were also examined.

Calfhood Diseases. 1. Gastro-Intestinal Diseases, M R. Gardiner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

CALFHOOD disease may be divided for convenience into three main categories:

• Those affecting the gastro-intestinal tract, including diseases of an infectious nature and those arising as a result of infestation by worms (parasitism).

• Those affecting the respiratory system, including lungworms.

• Those resulting from nutritional deficiencies, especially vitamins and minerals.

Mastitis : Its Prevention And Control. 1. The Udder In Health And Disease, F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

This is the first of a series of four articles on mastitis which will appear in consecutive issues of the Journal of Agriculture.

This is an introductory article describing the cow's udder in health and disease.